I enjoyed the character development of the main characters, Ava and Jerimiah, throughout this story. I especially liked the fact it’s based on true events. The setting in Appalachian Blue Ridge mountains was well described and truly captured the way of life.

Though The Red Ribbon is a part of a series, this book serves perfectly well as a standalone. The story progressed at break-neck speed and kept me turning the pages. The shootout was written descriptively without getting too gory. I loved how the writer described Ava and Jerimiah’s emotions, both through difficult situations, and tender moments. The growth of their relationship was sweet. This is the first book I’ve read by Pepper Basham, but it certainly won’t be the last.

Murder, feuds, massacre, romance, and betrayals are all a part of this fictional retelling of the Court Massacre of 1912. I love the True Colors Series and this newest submission does not disappoint. The author has included many of the real characters involved in this crime in Carroll County, Virginia. Fancy Gap sure had its share of no-gooders, and it was sometimes hard to tell who the good guys were and who weren’t; this one’s a page-turner for sure!

Laced with good ‘ole homespun wisdom, the novel follows not only Ava and Jeremiah’s growing feelings for each other but sensitively addresses feelings of brokenness and doubt. I especially loved Granny Burcham; one of my favorite quotes was “the only way to keep your heart and head in the proper place is to know both”.

I especially appreciated the author’s notes at the end telling us what actually happened to some of the criminals after being arrested.

I received a copy of this book from Barbour Publishing through NetGalley and was under no obligation to write a positive review; all opinions are my own.

Pepper Basham has an incredible talent for bringing stories to life. Her latest, The Red Ribbon, is the eighth book in the True Colors series. Like the preceding True Colors novels, The Red Ribbon is based on true events; this time those surrounding the Hillsville Courthouse Massacre of 1912.

Ava Burcham has lived in the Blue Ridge mountains her entire life. The daughter of a woman who folks remember only as having lost her mind, Ava feels bound to always find the right side of the story; even when it means having to write her reports under a man's name. Her best friend, Jeremiah, seems to constantly be pulling her away from trouble. She's always seen him as just her friend, but could he become more?

If you enjoy exciting novels with plenty of suspense, excitement, and yes, romance, you won't want to miss The Red Ribbon!

*I received a complimentary copy of The Red Ribbon through the publisher and NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own. My positive review is not required.

The Red Ribbon is the fictional story of a couple who live during the time of a terrible courthouse massacre in Carroll County, Virginia. We learn about the (true) events of this event that hit the national news in 1912 and we are also immersed in the lives of a fictional couple who are "there" at the same time.

I like the main characters, Ava and Jeremiah, and I like many of the secondary characters as well. Just like with all good books, the characters are multi-layered and storied. Ava's past makes her fearful of having a future with Jeremiah and she must come to terms with that - which she does so beautifully with the help of Jeremiah and her Granny Burcham. Jeremiah has his own doubts at first, but he overcomes them quickly and begins to woo Ava.

There are a lot of great quotes in this book that are applicable to many situations (some especially now!).

"If you want to make a real difference, then find a way. Make the difference."

"If you're gonna change the world around you, make sure you're not the one changing to fit."

"Had God given her those memories, those people, to reveal His presence in scenes from her childhood? Her adulthood?"

"Fear don't speak truth, never has. You'd be wise to not heed it."

"If the Good Book says all this, why don't more people believe it?" "That's a great question for sure, and I can only say that most folks believe exactly what they want to believe, whether it's true or not. Makes it easier on fragile sensibilities and bigheaded pride." She winked. "Which means you got the choice too, don't you? Hold on to truth or ride the wind of fear?"

"Truth douses fear, Ava. Truth and perfect love. The only way to keep your heart and head" -- Granny touched Ava's forehead -- "in the proper place, is to know both."

No wonder the refrain of forgiveness played such a massive theme throughout scripture. The repercussions of its absence rocked nations and severed relationships like few other things.

I marked other quotes, but that's plenty! I have read Pepper's books before and really like them. I love this series of books that tell fictional stories set in true events of crime and suspense.

I had never read a book by Pepper Basham before, but I kept hearing about these True Color books. I felt that The Red Ribbon was very slow in the beginning. I just couldn't get interested. I needed to write a review, so I pressed on. After awhile, the story picked up and I began to enjoy it more then I anticipated. I felt that the author did a good job at setting the stage for the big courtroom battle and preparing us for the climax of the book.

I liked the characters, they just needed a bit more development for me to really connect with them. I think their attraction needed a bit more time to grow. The main character Ava, she seemed to have no attraction for Jeremiah one day, and the next head over heals in love.

I also liked the aftermath of the courthouse shootout. I think the author wrote a good plot line using suspense and action to finish out the story.

Overall, I give this book three stars. It needed a boost in the slow places, but I ended up enjoying it in the long run.

This is the first book I've read in the True Color series which are novels based on true crimes around the country. This is a well-written novel set in the Appaliachian Mountains, not too far from where I used to live which made it even more enjoyable for me to read. The author does a beautiful job of bringing the characters to life, along with mystery and intrigue. I really love the faith aspect that flows throughout the story. I adored Jeremiah and Ava's story. If you love a good historical romance, you don't want to miss this story.

The Red Ribbon is Pepper D Basham’s contribution to the True Colors series. I was quite excited to find out that she chose to write about The Hillsville Courthouse Massacre. That happened close to my neck of the woods and people around here still do not talk much about it. I was intrigued with this book from the start. I loved seeing some well known to me names and seeing how they lived through Pepper’s eyes. I loved the accurate historical details that me feel as though I was right there.
I am giving The Red Ribbon a very well deserved five plus stars. I highly recommend it for readers who enjoy reading about true crime from the past. I am placing this one on my keeper shelf, where not many books often have the honor of being placed.
I received The Red Ribbon from the publisher. This review is one hundred percent my own honest opinion.

Jeremiah and Ava may be my favorite romance of this whole series! I loved this story. I will say, I did think this installment focused a little more on the love story than the crime story, but truly, I was ok with that. (Again, because I just loved Jeremiah and Ava...) I was also a sucker for this story because it could have been my own family history. This story takes place in Carroll County Virginia, and although my family history lies just over the state line and a few counties to the southwest in North Carolina, like the characters in this book, I have ancestors in both law enforcement and moonshining, and generations of my family have built their own homes. A lot to identify with in this story. The historical details and mountain community culture are so richly represented and so accurately portrayed for the time period. I also loved the quotes of wisdom from Ava and Jeremiah's grandparents that open each chapter. And, the transformative power of the characters' faith in God is a driving force to the story.
The thing that I've enjoyed most about this series is getting a glimpse of various authors as kind of a sampling. I thoroughly enjoyed Ms. Basham's writing and would definitely explore her other books.

The Red Ribbon by Pepper Basham

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

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Story Notes

Pepper Basham brings history to life in this fictional account of the Hillsville Courthouse Massacre and those involved in it.

The True Colors series of stories has been a wonderful series to read. Tied together with colors and real life crimes, readers get to learn more about history while also reading a good story too. This latest one, written by Ms. Basham, is one of the best of the series. The early 1900s in the Appalachian Mountains was a dangerous time for those who lived there and those who visited. Moonshiners determined to avoid revenuers and lawmen defended their turf in any way possible and often caught innocents in the crossfire. This story begins with Ava Burcham, a skilled seamstress who is looking for a story that will allow her to write under her own name rather than pseudonyms. But the story she’s hoping to get is more dangerous than she expected and will land her in a bit of trouble. Thankfully the sheriff rescues her and hands her over to her best friend, Jeremiah. A bit miffed that Jeremiah is so presumptuous as to tell her she should mind her own business, Ava begins working on finding another way to get her story as he takes her home. The growing feud between the lawmen and the Allen family is big news but she needs a good angle to spark an editors interest. But Jeremiah has no intention of letting Ava put herself in danger just for a story. For one thing, she’s not very subtle in her snooping and for another, he’s in love with her. Getting married would be pretty hard if the girl you want to marry winds up dead. Ava can’t let it go and sets out to prove to Jeremiah she can get a story and stay safe. And maybe, she might find someone who could tell her about when her father was killed. After another dangerous escapade, Jeremiah has enough and tells her how he feels, hoping that will stop her need for sleuthing. Ava is in awe that someone would love her as Jeremiah says he does and her heart is torn about what to do. She needs to write a worthwhile story but she also wants to spend time with Jeremiah and see what their future brings. As things heat up between the lawmen and the Allens due to a unexpected kiss at the Harvest Dance, Ava and Jeremiah will find themselves in the middle of a fight for justice. Charges are filed against the Allens for a fist fight and gun fight and a trial soon follows. The results of the trial set off another fight and three men are killed before the lead stops flying. Fleeing for their lives, Ava and Jeremiah are separated, injured and then Ava taken prisoner. If she can’t find a way to escape her captors, they’ll get away with their crimes and a load of money. Jeremiah is determined to find her and if he can, he just might help justice be served at last. True crime is always fascinating to me. There have been so many good cases that have yet to be solved that one could spend a lifetime working to puzzle things out. I really liked learning about the Allens from an author who grew up in the area they lived in and was able to share the story with a nice helping of fiction along the way. Ava is a tough cookie and Jeremiah wants her to write her stories, as long as they don’t put her in danger. The clashing of these two is fun to read and I enjoyed the challenges they gave each other in faith and love. Each wanted the other to be better and that made for some good discussions. I liked how everything was timed to be revealed at the right moment. Sometimes stories are flowing along too fast to really take everything in but this one gave moments of slower action to allow for all the pieces to be laid out well. I will certainly be recommending this story and the series to others as they are such good fictionalizations of real crime events.

I received this temporary complimentary E-book from Barbour Books via NetGalley in order to provide a fair and honest review. I will receive no fiscal compensation for this review and the opinions expressed herein are entirely my own.

Thank you Netgalley for a free read of this book! True Colors -- a new series of Historical Stories of Romance and American Crime is what is posted on Goodreads about this book and I am loving all the books in the series! This book takes place around the The Hillsville Courthouse Massacre of 1912 in Virginia and there are alot of characters that are introduced to us whether their role is big or small. I loved the character of Ava and Granny and Jeremiah and am happy to report the book ends well with them.

I throughly enjoyed this book that so beautifully and heartbreakingly told the story of the Hillsville Massacre in Virginia in 1912.
I loved that the author was able to fit her fictional characters so seamlessly into the story and I could feel the care she had taken to research things out.

It was a page turner of a book and almost impossible to put down!

The Red Ribbon is a fantastic addition to the True Colors series.
I am looking forward to reading more of not only this series, but just more books from Pepper Basham overall!

She is a fabulous writer and I truly enjoy her storytelling!

***Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the digital ARC of this book. All views and opinions expressed in this review are my own.***

I so enjoyed this book about the Hillsville Massacre in Virginia in 1912. A little bit of history I had never heard of, though it was fascinating and heartbreaking. I loved the story of Jeremiah and Ava and their budding romance, tribulations, and how much he believed in her when she didn't herself. Coming from a farm background I had always heard of shuckings and barn dances, and of course the coveted red ear of corn, but never really knew where it came from. I will definitely recommend this to my fellow readers.

Ava Burcham thinks she knows who is running illegal alcohol in Hillsville, Virginia. The problem is that she is a young woman, and law enforcement doesn't want to listen. Ava is strong-willed and independent, a seamstress who wants to be a writer. When she witnesses bootleggers in action, she writes an article for the paper under an assumed name that names all those people who she thinks are involved.

When a misguided kiss at a town wide celebration turns into a showdown in the middle of Sunday service, arrests are made and trials are set. Tensions are high, and when they boil over the result is the Hillsville Courthouse Massacre of 1912.

The Red Ribbon is another exciting addition to the True Colors series. I look forward to more of this series and more books from Pepper Basham.

This is the second true colors book I have read and I loved it . It's a true crime story but told like a fiction crime book. It was well written and worth my time . I will be looking for more of these books.

What Do Pretty Ribbons Have to Do with Ugly Murder?
Not a lot–and everything. In true Basham style, Pepper uses kisses to show the beauty and the depravity of man. The heart that beats beneath those lips becomes the difference between the kiss of a lifetime and, forgive the poetic license, the kiss of death.

In unquestionably the most quotable book I’ve ever read by Pepper Basham, The Red Ribbon combines the tale of a seamstress and would-be writer and a mountain woodworker with moonshiners and feuding families. Add to that the seamstress (Ava)’s family history and you have layers upon layers to unravel.

I think one of the best parts of this book is what actually bugged me at first. I couldn’t tell when or where the inciting event would occur–at least, not the one that would spark the massacre we know is coming. Instead, Basham sets up all parts of the story so seamlessly you don’t even realize she’s done it until it’s all laid out before you.

Characters? I fell lin love and hate with all of them–the ones I should, that is.
Plot? Pepper Basham took the actual events and wove those into the lives of the characters she created instead of the other way around (or so it felt to me as I read it). This gives both elements of the story a richer perspective than I would have expected.

Faith? The Red Ribbon goes beyond historical fact and poetic fictional license. It also offers a look into the beauty of Truth instead of the ugliness of fear and cruelty. Jeremiah and her grandmother lead Ava onto a faith journey that I suspect I’ll ponder for weeks.

Recommended for lovers of history, lovers of romance, and lovers of liplock of any kind. If you don’t like those, this probably isn’t the book for you, but I’d try it anyway. If anyone can make you love a book you were sure you wouldn’t, Pepper Basham can.

If you love books based on historical events, you need to read the True Colors series. The Red Ribbon is book 8 of 9 in the True Colors series. I have read every single one so far and have loved every one. Each book can be read as a stand a lone - some have some darker themes then others, however this one you can read late into to the night. One of the best things in this series is that I have learned about about events that I had no idea existed. In the Red Ribbon, by Pepper Basham we visit The Hillsville Courthouse Massacre of 1912. In this story, we meet Ava Burcham. She has a history of getting herself and others into trouble. She seems to date the wrong type of guy, She is headstrong and reckless. She does not think things through. This time she brings her best friend, Jeremiah Sutphin into the chaos with her. We see this friendship blossom into a sweet and clean romance. Ava has been trying to find a story that she can report on - but what she does is pokes a hornets nest and starts stirring up all sorts of trouble. We see a feud opened up with the outlaws (Allen Family) and politicians. We see some boot leggin', corn shuckin' and a lot of other things that you would associate with the Blue Ridge Mountains. With the author's descriptions I could close my eyes and visualize myself there.

I went and did some more reading on the Hillsville Courthouse Massacre and the author's research was spot on. I love that she took this true crime and created her own story out of it. The author has crafted some unique characters. She has written an intriguing story line that will draw you in as soon as you start reading and will keep you from getting other things done. If you have not read anything by this author - you are missing out. I have read several of her books and have always enjoyed every one of them.

I received a copy of this book through the Celebrate Lit blogging program, all thoughts are my own.

The Red Ribbon by Pepper D. Basham is the eighth book in the True Colors series and definitely worth reading if you love historical romances along with American crime.
This series has been great and very interesting since they are based on strange and true American crime. You definitely don't want to miss reading them!
Ava Burcham has a problem with finding trouble wherever she goes and when she searches for a story worth writing and reporting she and her best friend, Jeremiah Sutphin land right in the middle of a dangerous Appalachian feud.
I loved this story and look forward to reading more books in this series and by this author!

I was given an ARC from the author/publisher. All conclusions are mine and mine alone.

While this is not my first time reading a book by Pepper Basham it is one of my favorites! She combined two of my favorite things in one book (Mystery + Sweet Romance) and did it in a thoroughly enjoyable way. The True Colors crime series by Barbour has been one of my most looked forward to installments over this past year, each author bringing a different writing style and creativity to the table.

The Red Ribbon had great character build-ups, sweet moments, and mystery on every page. Ava and Jeremiah were an interesting couple that kept me engaged swept up in the story with them. The story itself was well written and a great mystery; I am glad Pepper Basham chose to write about this mystery as I had not heard of it before. I think because the story was based in her backyard that Pepper Basham was able to bring a lot of realism and vivid descriptions to town life, the Blue Ridge Mountains, to the character’s actions. Fans of mysteries need to put this on their TBR pile as it will give them a very interesting story to read!

I give this book 5 out of 5 stars for the great characters, the intriguing mystery, and for the well-developed storyline that pulled me in and would not let go.

*I volunteered to read this book in return for my honest feedback. The thoughts and opinions expressed within are my own.

This is book eight on the True Colors Series which are based on on actual historical crimes. This one takes place in the Blue Ridge Mountains and centers on the Hillsville Courthouse Massacre of 1912. This is the second book I have read from the series. They are definitely stand alone novels so you won't be missing anything if you don't read them in the order they were published.
In this novel we meet Ava and Jeremiah which are the main characters in the story. Ava is definitely full of gumption and dreams of using her writing gift to make a difference in the world. As typical of that timeline she writes under a male pseudonym for the local newspaper. Jeremiah is in love with her but most of the time too shy to do something about it. Their romance is sweet but for me it lacked a little bit of that Basham romance touch. If you have ever read any of her other books for me she is great at those romantic type scenes that leave you in awe and I felt like this one felt a little short.

Overall this was not my favorite. Compared to the other one I previously read I felt like this one lacked a little bit more suspense. I felt like this story revolved more on Ava and her background. That being said I think Basham did a phenomenal job with her research on this story. The details regarding the event were great. It was something I was not familiar with so she definitely peaked my curiosity and I went searching for information regarding the massacre. I think that's important when reading historical fiction that the facts align with the story.

My Rating: 3.5 Stars/ I liked it

(I received this book from Celebrate Lit. I was not required to post a positive review. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.)

The Red Ribbon, written by Pepper Basham, not only continues the excellent True Colors crime series but continues it well. It is another gripping story taken from the pages of history, this history being the Hillsville Courthouse Massacre of 1912. The author has crafted unforgettable characters. Ava, a spitfire with deep-rooted fears of becoming someone to shun. "Would her past always wait in the shadows of her present?" Jeremiah, protective, tender, full of quiet strength, and not afraid to show his love. Keen, a broken, black-hearted villain. The plot moves well with twists and turns to keep the reader's interest high until the edge-of-the-seat end of the story. The Red Ribbon, with its Appalachian mountain bootlegger clansmen and Ava and Jeremiah's sweet romance, is a perfect blend of intrigue and tender moments, and the result is an entertaining and satisfying historical romance. Readers who love historical fiction will not want to miss this one.
I received a complimentary copy of this book via CelebrateLit. A favorable review was not required, and opinions are my own. This review is part of a CelebrateLit blog tour.